Numbers 5:17
New International Version
Then he shall take some holy water in a clay jar and put some dust from the tabernacle floor into the water.

New Living Translation
He must take some holy water in a clay jar and pour into it dust he has taken from the Tabernacle floor.

English Standard Version
And the priest shall take holy water in an earthenware vessel and take some of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle and put it into the water.

Berean Standard Bible
Then he is to take some holy water in a clay jar and put some of the dust from the tabernacle floor into the water.

King James Bible
And the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is in the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the water:

New King James Version
The priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel, and take some of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle and put it into the water.

New American Standard Bible
and the priest shall take holy water in an earthenware container; and he shall take some of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle and put it in the water.

NASB 1995
and the priest shall take holy water in an earthenware vessel; and he shall take some of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle and put it into the water.

NASB 1977
and the priest shall take holy water in an earthenware vessel; and he shall take some of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle and put it into the water.

Legacy Standard Bible
and the priest shall take holy water in an earthenware vessel; and the priest shall take some of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle and put it into the water.

Amplified Bible
and the priest shall take holy water [from the sacred basin] in an earthenware vessel; and he shall take some of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle and put it in the water.

Christian Standard Bible
Then the priest is to take holy water in a clay bowl, take some of the dust from the tabernacle floor, and put it in the water.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then the priest is to take holy water in a clay bowl, and take some of the dust from the tabernacle floor and put it in the water.

American Standard Version
and the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the water.

Contemporary English Version
He will then pour sacred water into a clay jar and stir in some dust from the floor of the sacred tent.

English Revised Version
and the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the water:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then the priest will take holy water in a piece of pottery and put some dust from the floor of the tent into the water.

Good News Translation
He shall pour some holy water into a clay bowl and take some of the earth that is on the floor of the Tent of the LORD's presence and put it in the water to make it bitter.

International Standard Version
The priest is to put some holy water into an earthen vessel, take some dust from the floor of the tent, and put it into the water.

Majority Standard Bible
Then he is to take some holy water in a clay jar and put some of the dust from the tabernacle floor into the water.

NET Bible
The priest will then take holy water in a pottery jar, and take some of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle, and put it into the water.

New Heart English Bible
and the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the water.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the water:

World English Bible
The priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and the priest shall take some of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle and put it into the water.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and the priest has taken holy water in an earthen vessel, and the priest takes of the dust which is on the floor of the Dwelling Place, and has put [it] into the water,

Young's Literal Translation
and the priest hath taken holy water in an earthen vessel, and of the dust which is on the floor of the tabernacle doth the priest take, and hath put it into the water,

Smith's Literal Translation
And the priest took holy waters in a vessel of earthen, and from the dust which shall be upon the bottom of the dwelling, the priest shall take and he gave into the water.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he shall take holy water in an earthen vessel, and he shall cast a little earth of the pavement of the tabernacle into it.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he shall take up holy water in an earthen vessel, and he shall cast a little earth from the pavement of the tabernacle into it.

New American Bible
In an earthen vessel he shall take holy water, as well as some dust from the floor of the tabernacle and put it in the water.

New Revised Standard Version
the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel, and take some of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle and put it into the water.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and some of the dust that is in the base of the altar of the tabernacle the priest shall take and put it into the water;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the Priest shall take holy water in a vessel of a potter and the Priest shall take some dust that is in the base of the altar and throw it in the water.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the water.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the priest shall take pure running water in an earthen vessel, and he shall take of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle of witness, and the priest having taken it shall cast it into the water.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Adultery Test
16The priest is to bring the wife forward and have her stand before the LORD. 17Then he is to take some holy water in a clay jar and put some of the dust from the tabernacle floor into the water. 18After the priest has the woman stand before the LORD, he is to let down her hair and place in her hands the grain offering of memorial, which is the grain offering for jealousy. The priest is to hold the bitter water that brings a curse.…

Cross References
Leviticus 20:10
If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress must surely be put to death.

Deuteronomy 22:22
If a man is found lying with another man’s wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from Israel.

John 8:3-11
The scribes and Pharisees, however, brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before them / and said, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. / In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such a woman. So what do You say?” ...

1 Corinthians 6:9-10
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts, / nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.

Leviticus 5:11-13
But if he cannot afford two turtledoves or two young pigeons, he may bring a tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a sin offering. He must not put olive oil or frankincense on it, because it is a sin offering. / He is to bring it to the priest, who shall take a handful from it as a memorial portion and burn it on the altar atop the food offerings to the LORD; it is a sin offering. / In this way the priest will make atonement for him for any of these sins he has committed, and he will be forgiven. The remainder will belong to the priest, like the grain offering.”

Matthew 5:32
But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, brings adultery upon her. And he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Hosea 4:14
I will not punish your daughters when they prostitute themselves, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery. For the men themselves go off with prostitutes and offer sacrifices with shrine prostitutes. So a people without understanding will come to ruin.

1 Corinthians 5:1-2
It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is intolerable even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife. / And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have been stricken with grief and have removed from your fellowship the man who did this?

Exodus 32:20
Then he took the calf they had made, burned it in the fire, ground it to powder, and scattered the powder over the face of the water. Then he forced the Israelites to drink it.

2 Corinthians 11:2
I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. For I promised you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

Jeremiah 3:8
She saw that because faithless Israel had committed adultery, I gave her a certificate of divorce and sent her away. Yet that unfaithful sister Judah had no fear and prostituted herself as well.

Revelation 2:20-22
But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads My servants to be sexually immoral and to eat food sacrificed to idols. / Even though I have given her time to repent of her immorality, she is unwilling. / Behold, I will cast her onto a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her will suffer great tribulation unless they repent of her deeds.

Leviticus 18:20
You must not lie carnally with your neighbor’s wife and thus defile yourself with her.

Proverbs 6:32-35
He who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself. / Wounds and dishonor will befall him, and his reproach will never be wiped away. / For jealousy enrages a husband, and he will show no mercy in the day of vengeance. ...

Galatians 5:19-21
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; / idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions, / and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.


Treasury of Scripture

And the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is in the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the water:

holy water.

Numbers 19:2-9
This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke: …

Exodus 30:18
Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein.

of the dust

Job 2:12
And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.

Jeremiah 17:13
O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.

Lamentations 3:29
He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.

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Numbers 5
1. The unclean are removed out of camp
5. Restitution is to be made in trespass
11. The trial of jealously














Then he is to take
This phrase indicates a specific action commanded by God, emphasizing obedience and precision in following divine instructions. The Hebrew root for "take" is "laqach," which often implies receiving or acquiring with intention. This action is not arbitrary but is a deliberate step in a ritual that underscores the seriousness of the proceedings.

some holy water
The term "holy water" refers to water that has been set apart for sacred use. In the Hebrew context, "holy" (qodesh) signifies something consecrated or dedicated to God. This water is not ordinary; it is sanctified, symbolizing purity and the presence of God. The use of holy water in this ritual highlights the need for divine intervention and purification.

in a clay jar
The use of a "clay jar" is significant, as clay vessels were common in ancient Israel for everyday use. The Hebrew word for "clay" is "cheres," which can also mean earthenware. This choice of material reflects the humble and earthly nature of humanity, reminding us of our creation from dust and our dependence on God. The fragility of clay jars can symbolize the vulnerability of human life and the need for divine protection.

and put some dust
Dust, or "aphar" in Hebrew, is a powerful symbol in the Bible, often representing mortality and humility. In Genesis, humans are formed from dust, and to dust, they return. The inclusion of dust in this ritual serves as a reminder of human frailty and the need for God's mercy and justice. It also connects the ritual to the physical space of the tabernacle, grounding the spiritual act in the tangible world.

from the tabernacle floor
The "tabernacle floor" is a sacred space, the dwelling place of God's presence among His people. The Hebrew term for "tabernacle" is "mishkan," meaning dwelling or habitation. Dust from this holy ground carries the weight of divine presence and authority. By using dust from the tabernacle, the ritual is imbued with the sanctity and seriousness of God's covenant with Israel.

into the water
The act of putting dust into the water signifies a transformation, creating a mixture that is central to the ritual. Water, often a symbol of life and cleansing, combined with dust from the holy ground, becomes a medium through which God's judgment and truth are sought. This mixture represents the intersection of the divine and the earthly, a tangible expression of seeking God's will and justice in human affairs.

Verse 17. - Holy water. Probably from the laver which stood near the altar (Exodus 30:18). The expression is nowhere else used. The Septuagint has ὕδωρ καθαρὸν ζῶν, pure running water. In an earthen vessel. Cheap and coarse, like the offering. Of the dust that is in the floor of the tabernacle. This is the only place where the floor of the tabernacle is mentioned. As no directions were given concerning it, it was probably the bare earth cleared and stamped. The cedar floor of the temple was overlaid with gold (1 Kings 6:16, 30). This use of the dust has been held to signify the fact

(a) that man was made of dust, and must return to dust (Genesis 3:19); or

(b) that dust is the serpent's meat, i.e., that shame and disgust are the inevitable fruit of sin (Genesis 3:14; Isaiah 65:25). Of these,

(a) is not appropriate to the matter in question, since mortality is common to all, and . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then [he]
הַכֹּהֵ֛ן (hak·kō·hên)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3548: Priest

is to take
וְלָקַ֧ח (wə·lā·qaḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3947: To take

[some] holy
קְדֹשִׁ֖ים (qə·ḏō·šîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 6918: Sacred, God, an angel, a saint, a sanctuary

water
מַ֥יִם (ma·yim)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen

in a clay
חָ֑רֶשׂ (ḥā·reś)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2789: Earthenware, earthen vessel, sherd, potsherd

jar
בִּכְלִי־ (biḵ·lî-)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3627: Something prepared, any apparatus

and put
וְנָתַ֥ן (wə·nā·ṯan)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

some of
וּמִן־ (ū·min-)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of

the dust
הֶֽעָפָ֗ר (he·‘ā·p̄ār)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6083: Dust, clay, earth, mud

from the tabernacle
הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן (ham·miš·kān)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4908: A residence, the Tabernacle

floor
בְּקַרְקַ֣ע (bə·qar·qa‘)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 7172: Floor, of a, building, the sea

into
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the water.
הַמָּֽיִם׃ (ham·mā·yim)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen


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OT Law: Numbers 5:17 And the priest shall take holy water (Nu Num.)
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